Are your employees empowered to make decisions on the spot in favor of the customer? Your single goal should be to have over happy customers. Too many things go wrong each day. You want your employees to understand they are in customer service and their number one responsibility is to take care of customers. If they fall in love with you your competition is dead.
It often takes 2 miracles at one time to get an employee to spend $10 on a customer. The Ritz-Carlton allows any employee to spend up to $2,000 to take care of a customer. What is your ceiling?
Most employees do not complain. They just never come back. All front-line employees must be trained in customer service and empowered to take care of a customer to the customers satisfaction.
SQI has a book on Empowerment in English, Spanish, Russian and Georgian. Online only $9.99 and in print $19.95. In Russia Alpina is the publisher. In Georgia it is Palitra. Find all of John Tschohl’s Books here.
We also have a 2-session Empowering Employees program that you can use to train your staff in sessions of 2-3 hours each. The Introductory Start-up Leader Guide and video are designed so your staff can skillfully implement the program. A special introductory price is only $1,499 with enough materials to train 25 employees and free shipping worldwide.
Biggest Mistakes That Drive Away Your Customers From Buying Your Products or Services
- Never have a live person answer the phone.
- Install an electronic system (IVR) to answer your phone so you avoid talking to a live person
- Make sure there is NO option to talk to a live person
- Never return phone calls
- If a live person answers the call make sure you transfer it to someone who is not there and will not return the call.
- Require a survey with each customer. This will only take another 5 minutes.
I find most firms in the US have no need for more business. They make it very difficult to buy or do business with your firm. Most firms believe the market is 16 – 25 year olds. The question is who has the money?
Jeff Bezos said if you want more of something, “reduce the friction.”
Not having smart people with good soft skills answering the phone can be expensive. As you lose customers you can now buy a phone system with voice mail. With less customers, you will not be as busy as you might have dreamed of.
Customer satisfaction surveys are asked for with most transactions in the US. The bad news is I suspect not much happens with the results. It makes HR look like a hero and blend in with all their friends. The Wall Street Journal always asks for a survey when you call in because the paper is not delivered 80% of the time. The survey has nothing to do with the delivery. I suggest you take the money you spend on surveys and train your staff in superior customer service.
